Topical Bible: Prayer of Habakkuk

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The Prayer of Habakkuk, found in Habakkuk 3, is a profound and poetic expression of faith and trust in God amidst impending judgment and turmoil. This prayer is a significant component of the Book of Habakkuk, which is part of the collection of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament. The prayer is a response to the prophet's earlier dialogues with God, where he questions the Lord's tolerance of injustice and the use of the Babylonians as instruments of judgment against Judah.

Context and Structure

Habakkuk's prayer is set against the backdrop of the Babylonian threat to Judah. The prophet, having received a vision of the coming judgment, turns to God in a prayer that is both a plea for mercy and a declaration of trust. The chapter is structured as a psalm, complete with musical notations, indicating its use in worship. The prayer begins with a plea for God to revive His works and show mercy: "LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe of Your deeds. Revive Your work in these years; make it known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy!" (Habakkuk 3:2).

Theophany and Divine Power

The central portion of the prayer (Habakkuk 3:3-15) is a vivid theophany, a depiction of God's majestic and powerful presence. Habakkuk recalls God's past interventions on behalf of His people, drawing imagery from the Exodus and other historical acts of deliverance. The prophet describes God coming from Teman and Mount Paran, His glory covering the heavens, and the earth full of His praise (Habakkuk 3:3-4). This section emphasizes God's sovereignty and His ability to control the natural and political realms, as seen in verses like, "You marched across the earth with fury; You threshed the nations in wrath" (Habakkuk 3:12).

Faith Amidst Adversity

The concluding verses of the prayer (Habakkuk 3:16-19) reflect a profound faith and resolve. Despite the impending disaster, Habakkuk expresses a deep trust in God. He acknowledges his fear and trembling at the thought of the coming invasion but chooses to rejoice in the Lord: "Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!" (Habakkuk 3:17-18). This declaration of faith is a powerful testament to the prophet's reliance on God, regardless of circumstances.

Musical and Liturgical Elements

The prayer concludes with a note for the director of music, indicating its intended use in temple worship: "For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments" (Habakkuk 3:19). This liturgical aspect underscores the communal and worshipful nature of the prayer, inviting the people of God to join in this expression of trust and hope.

Theological Significance

The Prayer of Habakkuk is a profound example of the biblical theme of faith in the face of adversity. It highlights the tension between divine justice and mercy, the reality of human suffering, and the call to trust in God's ultimate plan. Habakkuk's prayer serves as a model for believers, encouraging them to seek God's presence, remember His past faithfulness, and maintain hope in His salvation, even when circumstances seem dire.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Prayer of Habakkuk

PRAYER OF HABAKKUK

See HABAKKUK; BETH-HORON, THE BATTLE OF.

Library

The Content of Prayer: Its Four Moods
... and said, O Lord of Hosts, if you will indeed have regard unto the humiliation of
your bondmaid,'" and so on; and in Habakkuk: "A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen on prayer/chapter ix the content of.htm

Of the Prophecy that is Contained in the Prayer and Song of ...
... Book XVIII. Chapter 32."Of the Prophecy that is Contained in the Prayer
and Song of Habakkuk. In his prayer, with a song, to whom ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 32 of the prophecy that.htm

Habakkuk-On his Watch-Tower
... PART II. SOME BIBLE TYPES OF PRAYER IX. HABAKKUK-ON HIS WATCH-TOWER. ... Go up every
new day into Habakkuk's high tower. And take up his prayer and his hope. ...
/.../whyte/lord teach us to pray/ix habakkuk-on his watch-tower.htm

Habakkuk
... but, brief and difficult as it is, it is clear that Habakkuk was a ... v., Deuteronomy
33.; and this "prayer," as it is called in the superscription, concludes ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/habakkuk.htm

Letter v. Prayer and Fasting.
... The prayers of David are full of thanksgiving. The prayer of Habakkuk consists
of adoration, supplication, and thanksgiving. The ...
/.../letter v prayer and fasting.htm

Entire Sanctification in Prophecy.
... In the prayer of Habakkuk we have some sentences which point unmistakably to the
experience of perfect trust in God and perfect love for Him. ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter v entire sanctification in.htm

The Righteousness of this Life Comprehended in Three Parts ...
... forgiveness from the bottom of his heart, if he would have his heavenly Father listen
to his prayer. Footnotes: [1412] 2 Corinthians 5:6. [1413] Habakkuk 2:4. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/18 the righteousness of this.htm

Nahum and Habakkuk.
... As Nahum prophesied the fall of Assyria for its oppression of Israel, Habakkuk tells
of God's judgments upon the Chaldeans ... (2) There is a prayer or psalm which ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xxi nahum and habakkuk.htm

A Prayer when one Begins to be Sick.
... 3:25.) Yet do I well perceive that in wrath thou rememberest mercy (Habakkuk 3:2 ...
O heavenly Father, who art the hearer of prayer, hear thou in heaven this my ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bayly/the practice of piety/a prayer when one begins.htm

Of Rest in the Presence of God --Its Fruits --Inward Silence --God ...
... It might be said of this method of prayer, as was said of Wisdom, "All good ... is in
His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him" (Habakkuk 2:20). ...
/.../a short method of prayer and spiritual torrents/chapter xi of rest in.htm